Freshman Republicans voted 74-4 in favor of the amendment, but it failed on a 210-210 tie. It was one of multiple labor-related amendments that showed a divide between veteran Republicans and their freshman colleagues on labor relations.

On two other amendments, supporting grants for police and firefighters, the House adopted a change over the objections of a majority of the freshman members.

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Democrats say they will be able to exploit some of the divisions that appeared both among freshmen and between the freshman class and the rest of the GOP.

“The votes on amendments to the reckless Republican spending bill show that the GOP is deeply divided on the impact and wisdom of the arbitrary cuts they wanted to make,” Minority Whip Steny Hoyer said in a statement to POLITICO. “Many Republicans appeared to have second thoughts about their shortsighted and irresponsible cuts once they realized the impact cuts would have on their communities.”

The class tied on two roll calls, with 40 freshmen in each camp: One amendment, offered by Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) restored education funding for native Alaskans and Hawaiians, while the other, the brainchild of Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), increased federal support for local firefighters. Though the freshmen were split on those amendments, the House was not. Pascrell collected 318 votes overall, and Young secured 313 votes.

The rest of the Republican Conference showed a more moderate streak than the freshmen, backing Pascrell’s measure 92-67 and Young’s amendment 101-57.

It was a dynamic that was prevalent throughout the voting. The freshman class cutters brought sharper knives to the floor than their Republican colleagues brought.

In one high-profile case, 44 Republican freshmen voted to kill a second engine for the Joint Strike Fighter — a 55 percent majority. While the ratio mirrored the overall House vote, the rest of the GOP split 66-94.

However, on a few hot topics, the freshmen blended perfectly into the Republican Conference. For example, they voted 76-2 in favor of Rep. Mike Pence’s amendment, cutting off federal funding for Planned Parenthood, with only Hanna of upstate New York and Robert Dold of suburban Chicago breaking ranks. The rest of the Republicans voted in almost identical proportion, 154-5.

Rep. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who tied for second by voting with his class 96 percent of the time, said that especially on spending, there’s little distance between the leadership and the new members.

“We’ve in some ways been the choir behind them singing — I think this is what they want to do, but we’ve been there supporting them,” he said. “Though we’re being portrayed as this radical outside group forcing leadership to do something they don’t want to do, I don’t think Speaker [John] Boehner minds the cutting. He wants to cut.”

I hope our resident liberals take note that these republican politicians voted to de-fund GE's F35 engine program. That was a needless waste of defense dollars and a big business subsidy in case you didn't see it.

So can we now stop with the breathless commentary that republicans are all for big business?

I hope our resident liberals take note that these republican politicians voted to de-fund GE's F35 engine program. That was a needless waste of defense dollars and a big business subsidy in case you didn't see it. So can we now stop with the breathless commentary that republicans are all for big business? p> Why did J. Boehner vote to keep funding in place.

the F35 vote was painless. and, you can tell by all the (not) media attention, that no one cares. when the vote matters to the establishment - like i said, they will then learn how much influence they do not, have.

The Freshmen came to town unfettered by the DC water system. They know that they are there only as long as they uphold their campaign promises to the best of their ability. The old Mossback'd GOPleadership wiull have to take note of not only their fresh new ideas buut of their collective unity. For without the Freshmen the GOP is dead in the water. We'll see a begrudgingly move to the Freshmen's arena and by doing so will bring some of them in from the "cold" and a bigger and better and more moderate conservative party. The old RINO's will have to retire or be fired and 2012 will be their final hours.

The tax cuts for the wealthy were passed by the Democrats, at the request of President Obama, because the GOP refused to extend tax cuts for lower income levels unless those for the wealthy were explicitly preserved.

Liberals when will you realize government doesn't create private sector jobs? These new GOP congressmen came to Washington to cut Federal Government spending. They did not run on jobs. Stabilizing the Federal Government helps calm private business owners. Once the owners of businesses see that government isn't going to raise taxes, they tend to hire. Again, liberals, government does NOT create private sector jobs. They never have. Liberals here are just being obtuse on GOP congressman coming to Washington to create jobs. But keep being either idiots or liars. That is the liberal way, I guess.

The tax cuts for the wealthy were passed by the Democrats, at the request of President Obama, because the GOP refused to extend tax cuts for lower income levels unless those for the wealthy were explicitly preserved.

The Democrats waited until the... last minute... and then ....Extended....the Bush tax rate for everyone.

Obama agreed but just about punched out the lecturn when he announced the concession.

How anyone who has paid a rate for 8 years calls it a ...cut... is beyond belief.......It's called a RATE.

The IRS would have had a mass of paperwork IF Congress had done anything else.

The Democrats played the game of cat and mouse and the GOP ate the mouse.